Hosiery workers protest against Punjab Government
Author(s): Charanjit Singh SalujaHosiery workers stage protest against Punjab Government at Ludhiana on Thursday. Ludhiana, March 13, 13, 2014: To protest against blatant flouting of the labour laws and to press upon the administration...
cityairnews
Mar 13, 2014 12:30
0
Hosiery workers stage protest against Punjab Government at Ludhiana on Thursday.
Ludhiana, March 13, 13, 2014: To protest against blatant flouting of the labour laws and to press upon the administration to ensure effective implementation of the labour laws, hosiery from different parts of the city held a rally under the banner of Hosiery Workers Union (AITUC) at the railway station today. They were carrying banner and placards and shouted slogans to press for their demands.
Addressing the rally, D P Maur, General Secretary Joint Council of Trade Unions Ludhiana said that labour laws are being flouted with impunity by the industry and the labour department has failed to get these laws implemented. There is no time limit for the duty for workers who have to many a times work for 12 to 16 hours without any over time allowance. Attendance of many workers is not marked, as a result they do not get ESI or other benefits like provident fund. In many places the workers are virtually like bonded labour.
Speaking on the occasion Com Feroze Master said that piece rates in the hosiery have not been revised in the last 14 years while prices have gone high by almost 4 to 5 times during this period. Due to this the workers are facing malnutrition. The workers do not have proper place to live, nor they have clean drinking water or sanitation facilities. The children do not have facilities for education nor medical care. Workers are having lot of resentment on these issues.
O P Mehta, General Secretary AITUC Ludhiana in his address said that it is mandatory that every worker should be marked attendance, issued ESI card, their provident fund be deposited, and extra payment be given for over time at the rates as per law. Kartar Singh Bowani and Dr Arun Mitra said that proper residential colonies be erected for the workers with drinking water and hygiene facilities along with facilities for health care and education.
Others who addressed the rally include Manjeet Singh Buta, Gurnam Sidhu, Kewal Singh Banwait, Ram partap, Master Shafeeq, Kuldip Singh Binder, lalit Kumar, Md. Shahabuddin.
Later on a delegation presented memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana.
